Book Review: "100 Things Lakers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die"
HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: True fans kill for these types of tidbits. I'm still figuring out how the Lakers were almost called the Vikings.Read More

We've all had discussions amongst friends over who would have given Michael Jordan a run for his money in a game of one-on-one. Most NBA heads would agree that MJ was so good that the next best thing seems to pale in comparison to His Airness.

The NBA Finals are where new stars are born and new styles are formed.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: An entire year of league history is compressed into and remembered by the outcome of the NBA Finals.

2009-2010 LA Lakers vs. Boston Celtics - 7 Games

The NBA needed this Finals from a business standpoint as much as anything else. Interest in the game was waining and the league was struggling financially. So what was the best recipe to get the league to be relevant and exciting again? A classic match-up between the Lakers and Celtics, which the Lakers won.

1993-1994 Houston Rockets vs. New York Knicks- 7 Games

This was as grueling an NBA Finals in history. Both teams were rugged, relied on tough defense and games were low scoring. Every possession was hotly contested and featured even personnel match-ups across the board, most notably reigning MVP Hakeem Olajuwon versus Patrick Ewing. The Rockets prevailed and won back to back titles, starting with this one.

1987-1988 LA Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons - 7 Games

The Lakers won this series in the ultimate stylistic clash between the finesse "Showtime" Lakers and the physical, brutish Pistons. Between 1980-1989 the Lakers won five titles, including this series versus the Pistons.This series represented a shift in NBA style of play. Even though the Lakers won and continued their dominance in this series, the Pistons swept the Finals the following season against the Lakers and eventually won two and a row, giving birth to the "Bad Boys" and their imposing style, a style that would be picked up and empolyed by NBA teams moving forward.

1979-1980 LA Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers - 6 Games

This series was all about the emergence of Magic Johnson. Magic changed the NBA game forever as the Lakers "Showtime" style was born. Instead of plodding half court sets that had been the norm, the Lakers relied on the transition game and became the most dominant team of the era, changing the entire direction of the league.

1973-1974 Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks - 7 Games

This series was littered with several future NBA Hall of Fame players who not only evolved their respective positions, but brought the game to a new level. The Bucks featured Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while the Celtics had Dave Cowens and John Havlicek. Abdul-Jabbar was so dominant the Celtics frequently triple teamed him when he got the ball. The strategy paid off as the C's prevailed in seven games.

HoopsVibe Very Quick Call: "Larry Legend" is arguably the best player in NBA history.

The occasion of retiring Bird's jersey was so special that they dedicated an entire evening to it, even though there wasn't a game, and sold out the Boston Garden.

The two-hour ceremony gave Bird a proper send off as #33 was forever hoisted to the rafters. The most favorite highlight of that night was when Larry's nemesis Magic Johnson showed up with a Boston Celtics t-shirt under his Lakers warm-up gear, which you can see in the video above.

Bird is easily one of the best players in NBA history, if not the absolute best. Just take a quick gander at the career highlights and awards section of his Wikipedia page. Three time champion, two time Finals MVP, three time regular season MVP, 12 time all-star, 1980 Rookie of the Year, 1982 All-Star Game MVP, nine-time All-NBA first team; it just goes on and on.

For as great as he was as a player, he's been equally great in the front office.

Last year, he was named the NBA Executive of the Year. As a coach, with no prior head coaching experience, Bird won NBA Coach of the Year honors in his first season and led the Pacers to back to back Central Division titles, including an NBA Finals birth in 2000. He retired following that season, but was then hired to the Pacers’ front office in 2003, took over for Donnie Walsh in 2008 and ever since has had a huge hand in making the team what it has become.

Bird is the only person to have ever won even the MVP and Coach of the Year award, and the only person to ever add the Executive of the Year award to that stack as well.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The NBA has an unwritten rule called ‘Know Your Place’.

This rule is simple: a scrub like Reggie Evans can’t publicly call out a superstar like Blake Griffin.

Did Mike Smrek ever bust Magic Johnson’s chops to the L.A. Times? Did Stacey King ever tell the world that Michael Jordan should stand up to Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, and the Detroit Pistons? Mark Madsen replied ‘yes sir’ to every request from Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Evans should consider precedence before going on the record with his criticism of Blake-Zilla. Of course, the journeyman is right. Griffin should defend himself. Just like Evans and every other Clipper should defend him, too.

Such a conversation should happen behind closed doors in the the locker room. Instead, it’s gone viral, which is the worst scenario for all involved.

Media and fans will be watching every time an opponent raises a hand to Griffin. And the only thing these young Clipper needs to be worrying about is the playoffs.

He viewed the no-call as a continuation of the preferential treatment that Griffin has received from the NBA during his two seasons. ‘He’s babied,’ Cousins said. ‘He’s the poster child of the league. He sells tickets, but he’s babied. Bottom line.’ Babied by whom, Cousins was asked. ‘The refs, the league — period,’ he continued.

Right or wrong, fair or not, David Stern’s league has always protected their superstars, nudging referees to give the benefit of the doubt to top players.

More often than not, Magic Johnson got the whistle. Same with Michael Jordan during the eighties and nineties. And conspiracy theorists would argue the Los Angeles Lakers often had the zebras on their side.

So Sacramento Kings' post DeMarcus Cousins can’t be shocked, surprised, or upset that Los Angeles Clippers superstar Blake Griffin, the new face of the league, gets protection from the referees. In a way, Cousins benefits from this, too. After all, Griffin playing well improves fan interest, which increases revenues and drives salaries.

Of course, Cousins is competing against Griffin and is understandably frustrated. Sadly, there’s nothing he can do about it -as Blake-Zilla will continue getting favourable treatment from referees.

The Lakers and Boston Celtics hate each other, an animosity that extends into the front offices of the two teams. Not really. The teams talked last week about a trade for Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, though nothing was close to accomplished and discussions dried up.

For months, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers have been testing the trade market for table-setter Rajon Rondo and post Pau Gasol.

The Celtics and Lakers had little luck finding a deal to their liking, so these great rivals recently discussed a Rondo for Gasol swap.

Yes, Rondo for Gasol. Straight.

(For the record, such cooperation would make former Celtics and Lakers like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy puke.)

The Celtics shouldn’t make this move -unless the tales of Rondo’s diva behaviour are true. The Kentucky alum’ is young, productive, and, can dominate without taking a single shot. Most importantly, he covers up for an aging Big Three.

Gasol has a world class skill-set. However, the green-and-white would be wise to keep Rondo.
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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has always been lauded for his self-motivation and drive to be the best. It's a good thing he has that internal ambition, because according to Bryant, he's gone through his 16-year career without a true rival on the exterior to push him to succeed. "I didn't have one," Bryant said after scoring 38 points in the Lakers' 115-107 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

"I knew he recorded everything we worked on," Olajuwon said. "I know he's practiced it. I can see that. But the comfort level, when you get into the competition, you start playing to your strengths, which is more of (an) outside (game). I see him post up. But I still see a lot of opportunities there. He's not capitalizing as much as he should. He needs more of a refresher course where he can become more comfortable. I see him (improving his post game), but he needs more time."

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The best always get better. That's why they are the best.

After all, Michael Jordan developed an amazing post game; Magic Johnson added his ‘baby hook’ and three-point shot; Kobe Bryant has extended his range over the years.

So, there’s no doubt LeBron James, who will surely win his third MVP award this spring, can get better. According to his tutor Olajuwon, it starts in the post, where the 6-8 man-child has only scratched the surface.

James’ can also take his one-on-one defense, outside range, and conditioning to another level. When he does fans will be watching an all-time great.